Importance of gun fit/handling/balance to you?

[bandit1250]

A gun that don't fit me especially if it is a hunting gun is like wearing shoes that don't fit. You may get by with it but it doesn't feel good and it is not to much fun.

[Jdl447]

I shoot shot guns way more than anything. So yeah fit and balance is pretty much it for successful shooting.

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This is probably the easiest shouldering gun I own. Another John Browning design.

[North Country Gal]

A-5? Oh, yeah, another great classic. Beautiful wood on that one.

[Twotone]

Wow, some nice rifles there. The way a rifle ‘fits’ is crucial in my opinion. The first rifle I bought was a Henry BBB in .357. I bought it blind on reputation I guess but for whatever reason it does not in my case have that mojo that my old 94’s have. They just ‘feel’ right and I am sure mistered is right about the influence that has on accuracy.
There is something indefinable about those old rifles to me. My 39 is the same, an absolute joy to carry and shoot and all those classic rifles are the keepers in my cabinet while the others are just passing through.

[North Country Gal]

I've had a lot of those rifles that are "passing through". Some of them were really high end rifles, too, but just lacked that certain something when you picked them up.

[tractortad]

Great thread that NCG started here - the perfect fit rifle for me is our Henry Color Cased 45/70. It just feels so natural to hold and point this big rifle - and the Skinner/Lyman globe combo makes it quick and easy to get on target. Definitely my favorite shootin iron. I could shoot this gun all day (if I could afford that much 45/70)....

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[Squatch]

Once a year the day after Thanksgiving my family gets together for a little backyard clay shooting on my cousins farm. There are some very nice shotguns there. A few costing big bucks. Semi auto's, pumps, One fine O+U.

The last couple of years I've brought my old 16 gauge single shot. It's an old H+R beater from the 40's. Has the $ value of a box of shells. It ain't real purdy. But it come to the shoulder nice and I usually hit what I'm aiming at. It really the only time this gun gets used.

Compared to this svelte old gun most of the modern shotguns feel like a 1 ton pickup at a sports car rally. Most shoot very nice. But they are huge with massive fore stocks and actions.

I thought it was just me as I'm not a shotgunner. But several of the young bloods have shot my old beater. 3 Shots and they turn around smiling and say man this feels really good. So light and easy to shoot. Must be something to it!

I'll bet the new Henry single shot shot guns are very similar!

[North Country Gal]

Great story, Squatch. Amazing that's there's still a place for the good old single shot shotgun in this high-tech, tacticool shooting world. Over the generations, the ss shotgun brought home a lot of meat. Had one from Sears as my first bird gun. Lots of memories.

[Mistered]

Amazing that's there's still a place for the good old single shot shotgun in this high-tech, tacticool shooting world.

SS rifles too! Maybe it's just my hopeful anticipation but I firmly believe there IS a return to more traditional shooting sports and guns. The market doesn't lie and if you look at the interest and sales of used (quality) lever action, revolvers etc. there is a definite uptick in this area.

[North Country Gal]

Amazing that's there's still a place for the good old single shot shotgun in this high-tech, tacticool shooting world.

SS rifles too! Maybe it's just my hopeful anticipation but I firmly believe there IS a return to more traditional shooting sports and guns. The market doesn't lie and if you look at the interest and sales of used (quality) lever action, revolvers etc. there is a definite uptick in this area.

I agree. A lot of shooters are learning the value of these old schools guns, given the way they were made.